Algorithmic ethics: lessons and limitations for leaders

To unleash automation’s decision-making potential we must examine its limitations

By Nicos Savva 13 November 2017

In the not-too-distant past, we made decisions based entirely on human judgement. Now, automated systems are helping people call important shots. Financial institutions use algorithms to offer loan applicants immediate yes-no decisions. Recruitment firms adopt systems powered by language technology to match applicants to vacancies. Even the criminal justice system uses predictive algorithms when sentencing criminals.

There are hundreds of examples like these, and algorithmic automation of decision-making is only set to rise. Why? First, computational power is becoming cheaper thanks to Moore’s “Law” – the observation that the number of transistors per square inch in integrated chips, a measure that correlates with computation power, doubles every 18 months. Second, we’re creating smarter algorithms that can transform raw and unstructured data into digestible information that is impacting everything from digital to financial health. Third, we simply have more data. Every aspect of our lives is blazing a digital trail which can be mined to better understand human behaviour – and predict the future.

The opportunity

Some people argue that algorithms can never match human ability in making decisions because they focus too narrowly on specific tasks. But are humans so perfect? People can be influenced by how they feel: one study of more than a thousand court decisions showed that judges are more lenient after lunch. People can be slow: JP Morgan Chase cut 360,000 hours of routine finance work to a matter of seconds with a system that stopped 12,000 mistakes made by human error every year. People can be selfish: research led by Madan Pillutla, London Business School Term Chair Professor of Organisational Behaviour at London Business School, suggests that even the fairest, most well-intentioned person can be prone to discriminate – they hire based on what’s in it for them.

Three limitations

It’s true that algorithms do not suffer from human imperfections, such as being tired, error-prone or selfish. But there are limitations when we rely on algorithms to make decisions, and it’s important we understand what they are:

1. Transparency: algorithms are a black box – it’s difficult to know if they’re fit for purpose if we don’t know how they work
2. Bias: algorithms are trained to make recommendations based on data that’s not always representative – systematic biases can go unnoticed and these biases can proliferate over time
3. Accuracy: we treat algorithms as infallible – in reality, they’re only designed to work well on average.

An example from the criminal justice system can help us examine these limitations in action. Eric Loomis was arrested in the US in February 2013 and was accused of driving a car that had been used in a shooting: he pleaded guilty to eluding a police officer. The judge at Wisconsin Supreme Court sentenced him to six years in prison. Part of the decision-making process was COMPAS (which stands for Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions), a proprietary algorithm used to calculate the likelihood that someone will reoffend. COMPAS measures categories such as criminal personality, substance abuse and social isolation. Defendants are ranked from 1 (low risk) to 10 (high risk) in each category.

Loomis challenged the judge’s use of the COMPAS score because unlike other evidence used against him, his defence team could not scrutinise the algorithm – the first limitation. The judge’s reliance on the score, the factors considered and the weight given to data in the decision-making process were all grounds for his appeal, which reached the Wisconsin Supreme Court in July 2016.

The second limitation, that algorithms are only as good as the data used to train them, is also an issue. COMPAS uses crime data, which is essentially arrest data. Arrest data often relies on police being in the right place at the right time. If an area is notorious for petty crime, police are more likely to attend, make an arrest and report the data. The information is then used to predict future crimes. The problem? At some point, this becomes self-perpetuating. What if a crime goes unreported because a neighbourhood has a reputation for upholding the law? What if the police simply aren’t able to attend? No police, no arrests, no data.

Our human biases become part of the technology we create

My research with Yiangos Papanastasiou (Berkeley) and Kostas Bimpikis (Stanford) demonstrates that the world of recommendations based on consumer reviews also suffers from such self-perpetuating cycles. For example, a positive customer review of a hotel on TripAdvisor will lead to more people wanting to visit the establishment. More customers, more reviews, more social proof. In this way, a hotel’s success can become self-reinforcing. But what about a less-explored alternative option? Even a superior hotel will find it difficult to prove its worth if it receives less attention.

Self-perpetuating cycles can create bias in algorithms. Sometimes what leads to bias is much simpler. Imagine you were trying to teach a computer about facial recognition by taking your own set of Facebook friends as a starting point. Computers find patterns in data; that’s how machine learning works. Problem is, your friends’ faces don’t represent everyone on earth. Unintentionally, by starting from information based on your personal network, you will create an algorithm that recognises faces of people that look like your friends but fails to recognise faces that look different to them. The same can be said for data that is only representative of the past but not of the present or the future. In this way, our human biases become part of the technology we create. Tech giants such as Google are beginning to educate people about such bias, but still have a way to go.

Finally, even if the data used to train an algorithm is free from the biases described, algorithms may still prove problematic. Why? Because users rely on the recommendations too much.

First, we tend to forget that predictions are not always perfect. Going back to the COMPAS example, an independent audit by an investigative journalism non-profit firm ProPublica finds that defendants who rate with the worst possible score (10 out of 10) still have a 20% chance of not reoffending. Conversely, defendants who rate with the best possible score (1 out of 10) still have a 25% probability of reoffending (much higher than the general public). So algorithms can make mistakes.

There’s a mathematical limit to how fair any algorithm can be

Second, algorithms inevitably make predictions that discriminate against groups that are different from the average. Remember, COMPAS rates defendants based on more than 100 factors such as criminal history, sex and age. It doesn’t take race into consideration. Indeed, when mathematically scrutinised, it appears that the algorithm does not discriminate by race – someone classified as high risk has the same probability of reoffending irrespective of race. So the algorithm’s prediction accuracy does not vary by race, yet, when further scrutinised, the results are imbalanced. A greater share of black defendants (a minority with a higher recidivism rate than average) who do not reoffend are classified as high risk compared to the average. Given the former, the latter is inevitable: there’s a mathematical limit to how fair any algorithm can be.

How so? Sam Corbett-Davies, Emma Pierson, Sharad Goel (all at Stanford) and Avi Feller (at Berkeley), explain further in this article. Black defendants are more likely to be classified as high risk. Yes, race isn’t part of the data used, but factors that predict reoffending vary by race. For example, if previous convictions and propensity to reoffend are correlated, and if more black defendants have previous convictions, then an algorithm that uses previous convictions to calculate risk will rate black defendants as higher risk than white defendants. The point? If a greater proportion of black defendants are classified as high risk, and if high-risk classification is not always perfect, then a greater share of black defendants who do not reoffend will be classified as high risk. And this is despite the algorithm’s prediction accuracy being independent of race. This is far from fair, and it’s mathematically inevitable.

Four lessons for people (not machines)

It’s true that algorithms can generate biased outcomes that, if left unchecked, can amplify over time. But they do the job they’ve been designed to do. If we crave objectivity and consistency, let’s put the onus back on people to improve the design, use and audit of algorithms.

1. Use algorithms as one part of the decision-making process

Stanislav Petrov, who passed away last May, was a lieutenant colonel in the Soviet Union's Air Defense Forces, and to some he’s known as the man who saved the world. On 26 September 1983, an algorithm using satellite data told Petrov that the US had launched five nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles. In one interview, he said, “The siren howled, but I just sat there for a few seconds, staring at the big, back-lit, red screen with the word 'launch' on it.” His gut feeling at the time was that something wasn’t right; if he was to expect all-out nuclear war, why were so few missiles being launched? He went against protocol and didn’t press the “button”. It turned out that there had been a computer malfunction and by not escalating the alarm he avoided a disastrous nuclear war.

The missile-detection system was surely helpful to the Soviet (and NATO) military. But as Petrov helped design it, he knew the limitations. With great consideration, he decided to rely on his own judgement more than the information gleaned from an intelligent computer.

Beyond missile defence systems, it’s important to recognise that algorithms can make mistakes. Whenever we design decision tools that use algorithms, we have the responsibility to create processes that empower people to still apply their judgement and common sense.

2. Educate users on the limitations of algorithms

As Petrov’s example shows, algorithms are not a silver bullet (or silver missile for that matter). Calculations are based on the average; they offer probability, not certainty. While Petrov understood this, it’s not clear that most algorithm users – programmers, business leaders, policymakers – do. Certainly, more can be done to educate people on the responsible and effective use of algorithms through formal education and on-the-job training.

Moreover, algorithmic recommendations must be presented in such a way that makes the limitations lucid. For example, one of COMPAS’ inadequacies is that it rates defendants on a 1–10 scale. If instead the results were presented as a percentage it would reflect probability, chances and odds rather than a fait accompli. What’s more, being scored 10 out of 10 suggests that a person is 10 times more likely to reoffend than someone receiving the best possible score of 1 out of 10. This is not the case. There is a greater probability, but it’s actually only 3.8 times higher.

3. Prepare for the audit of algorithms

In the way that manufacturing and service firms expect auditors to come knocking, so too should firms producing and deploying algorithms. In 2015 in the US, the Federal Trade Commission, which protects American consumers, created the Office of Technology Research and Investigation. The initiative was launched to help ensure that customers enjoy the benefits of technological progress without suffering from the risk of unfair practices. As a trusted information source, the office conducts independent studies, evaluates new marketing practices and provides guidance to consumers, businesses and policymakers.

4. Protect your customers and employees by offering the right of human review

A new, stricter European data act is coming into force in May 2018: the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It will build on the existing data protection regulation act and force firms to better handle data. One job of the GDPR is to safeguard people against the risk that a potentially damaging decision is taken without human intervention. So, for instance, if you’re rejected for a loan because your online application was declined automatically by an algorithm, you have the right for human review. The credit provider must then go through manual underwriting processes and check the original decision.

This signals a seismic shift and it’s a topic receiving attention worldwide, such as from German chancellor Angela Merkel who calls for “less secrecy” and more “informed citizens”.

The bigger picture

Let’s rewind to Loomis, who pleaded guilty to fleeing from an officer in 2013. After Loomis appealed his sentence, the case was referred to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The attorney general’s office defended the use of COMPAS. In July 2016 the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that the algorithm can be used as one component of the decision-making process to aid sentencing decisions.

The court challenged the judges to understand COMPAS’s limitations to prevent misuse of the system; knowing what your algorithm can tell you is as important as knowing what it can’t. Petrov, whose actions avoided World War III, taught us the same: despite the algorithm’s big flashing press-me button, he didn’t. Petrov made the ultimate judgement call. The challenge for everyone affected by algorithms now is to ensure that we push the debate – the lessons, the limitations, the opportunities – on algorithmic ethics forward.

So when should we rely on algorithms? When mistakes can be observed and feedback is reliable, fast and actionable.

When should we rely on algorithms?

A feedback loop is a powerful mechanism that allows developers to continuously improve the design of decision-making algorithms. Take self-driving cars. When a self-driving car makes a mistake and causes an accident or violates a traffic law, the algorithm designers know about it. With that knowledge, they can scrutinise the sequence of events that led to the error – lane position, road conditions, acceleration – and can redesign the algorithm to avoid repeating the same mistake in the future. Arguably, sentencing convicted criminals is not an exercise privy to such feedback loops. There’s a long time lag between making a decision (sentencing a convicted criminal) and discovering whether the outcome was correct (whether or not they reoffended), especially if the sentence is lengthy.

So when should we rely on algorithms? When mistakes can be observed and feedback is reliable, fast and actionable. For everything else? Circle back to the tenets in this piece: use the algorithm as one part of the decision-making process, understand the algorithm’s limitations and present algorithmic output in a way that reflects these limitations, be prepared to audit and promote the right for human review. Place value on human judgement and a test-and-learn approach.

Disrupt the disruptors with our new programme. Explore how to not only defend against but also exploit the dramatic changes triggered by the digital revolution and the arrival of radical new technologies and business models.

Comments 3

aprin 1 years, 10 months and 23 days ago

(another time) I was writing: the scores are not ordered by reoffending rate, or even it is not possible that all reoffending rates are higher than in 'the general public'

aprin 1 years, 10 months and 23 days ago

Sorry, my keyboard worked without my permission.

aprin 1 years, 10 months and 23 days ago


Guest Column

Currently, most vessels in the maritime sector are still using fossil fuels as their main source of fuel and are thus emitting large amounts of greenhouse gasses (GHG).

However, in order to try and avoid – or at least mitigate – the consequences of climate change the maritime sector has decided to reduce their GHG emissions and eventually become emission free. The main driver for this change is the sharpening of the legislations around the emission of GHG and other harmful gasses. The driver however, is not important because becoming emission free is not a choice, it is a must.

As a sustainability researcher at Royal IHC, my job is to explore the possibilities to reduce the emissions of IHC’s operations. A few topics that are currently investigated are the use of alternative clean fuels, improving the efficiency of the current drive trains, reducing under water noise and examining the effects that IHC’s actions have on local ecosystems, designing and testing entirely new ship concepts and improving the efficiency of dredging. Working together with TU Delft, TNO and other research institutes, new ideas, concepts and innovations arise quickly and a sustainable maritime sector will be achieved sooner than expected.

My personal view on the topic of becoming emission free is clear: it is not a choice, it is a must. One, very obvious, reason is that the resources (oil, gas and coal) do not replenish as fast as we consume them. They will eventually run out. However, my main reason for having this vision is that all life should be respected. This not only includes humans but animals and their habitats as well.

The harm we are doing to others by amongst others emitting greenhouse gasses is greater than we can imagine. Therefore, not only the maritime sector has to become emission free but every other sector as well. In my personal life I’m doing the best I can to contribute to a sustainable future and I am grateful for the opportunity IHC’s has given me to be able to make a contribution in my professional career as well.

Jochem Versendaal

Sustainability Reseacher, Royal IHC


Efficient quantum computation in a network with probabilistic gates and logical encoding

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningfagfællebedømt

J. Borregaard, A. S. Sørensen, J. I. Cirac, M. D. Lukin

An approach to efficient quantum computation with probabilistic gates is proposed and analyzed in both a local and nonlocal setting. It combines heralded gates previously studied for atom or atomlike qubits with logical encoding from linear optical quantum computation in order to perform high-fidelity quantum gates across a quantum network. The error-detecting properties of the heralded operations ensure high fidelity while the encoding makes it possible to correct for failed attempts such that deterministic and high-quality gates can be achieved. Importantly, this is robust to photon loss, which is typically the main obstacle to photonic-based quantum information processing. Overall this approach opens a path toward quantum networks with atomic nodes and photonic links.

TidsskriftPhysical Review A
Udgave nummer4
StatusUdgivet - 11 apr. 2017

ID: 176851396


Researchers evaluate influence of gut microbes on function of immune cells

New research suggests that gut microorganisms do not merely influence immune cell function, but also support the production of immune cells that form the first line of defense against infection. By understanding the mechanisms responsible for maintaining and replacing immune cells, researchers hope to one day develop targeted therapies to support and boost immune function in humans.

Study investigators from the Regenerative Medicine Institute at Cedars-Sinai collaborated with the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and lead institution - the California Institute of Technology.

Previous research studies have evaluated the influence of gut microbes on the function of immune cells, but little had been known about their influence on the production of immune cells, a process known as hematopoiesis.

In this study, published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, investigators found that mice lacking gut microbes were defective in immune cell production. Immune cell populations have to be maintained and replaced to ensure enough immune cells are available to fight infection. Consequently, the investigators noted that mice lacking gut microbes were more susceptible to bacterial infections.

"This work provides important clues about the role of gut microbes in supporting a healthy immune system that is capable of providing efficient protection from infection," said Helen Goodridge, PhD, collaborating author, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and a research scientist in the Regenerative Medicine Institute. "We now have a clearer understanding of how gut microbes influence immune cell production, which has implications for immune defense against infection."

Findings also suggest that antibiotics may have unwanted effects on the immune system by depleting gut microbes and thereby compromising immune cell production, which could make a patient more susceptible to subsequent infections. However, the data also indicate that it might be possible to prevent this effect, at least partially, by delivering microbial components along with the antibiotics to stimulate immune cell production.

"As we found true in mouse models, we also believe that depletion of gut microorganisms in humans could lead to a suppressed immune system and a higher risk of acquiring a broad range of infections and diseases," said Alberto Y--ez, PhD, collaborating author on the study and a postdoctoral scientist in the Goodridge Laboratory. "Gut microbes play very important roles in maintaining human health and this study further highlights the risks associated with the overuse of antibiotics that indiscriminately target helpful, as well as harmful, bacteria."

The rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, paired with a dwindling supply of effective antimicrobial drugs, has increased the threat of infectious disease and created a healthcare crisis. If these findings are validated in humans, researchers may herald future medical approaches to address the re-emerging crisis of infectious diseases.

Post a new comment
You might also like... ×
New AI-driven approach for single blood cell classification


Zero-Downtime Applications With Kubernetes

Mar 07, 2019

The software world moves faster than ever. In order to stay competitive, new software versions need to be rolled out as soon as possible, without disrupting active users. Many enterprises have moved their workloads to Kubernetes, which has been built with production-readiness in mind. However, in order to achieve real zero-downtime with Kubernetes, without breaking or loosing a single in-flight request, we need to take a few more steps.


Individuals & families

How much does it cost to contest a will?

It is well known that any litigation is expensive and contesting a will is no different. If anything, inheritance claims can be more expensive than other forms of litigation due to the nature of the claim and the amount of work and investigation involved. It is often misconceived that costs in inheritance disputes automatically come out of the estate. This is not necessarily true as in the first instance the general rule is that the unsuccessful party will pay the costs of the successful party.

Inheritance disputes: left out of a will?

If you believe that you have unreasonably been left out of a will, you may be able to apply for reasonable financial provision from the deceased estate pursuant to the Inheritance (Provision for Family Independence) Act 1975. The Inheritance Act essentially details several hurdles in which a person needs to overcome, in order to obtain reasonable financial provision from the deceased’s estate.

How to start contesting a will

If you think you have grounds to dispute a will then it is important to act fast, preferably before a grant of probate is obtained. If you are disputing the validity of a will, you can lodge a caveat which will prevent any grant of probate from issuing. Before issuing proceedings in the High Court and incurring substantial costs, you should consider various other options. Legal action can slow down the receipt of any inheritance and can be costly for all parties involved.

Inheritance disputes involving adult children - updated case law

Historically claims by able-bodied adult children (against their parents’ estate) capable of earning their own living have been discouraged by the court. The case of Re Coventry established that it was not sufficient to argue that a child of a deceased was in difficult financial circumstances, the deceased had property which could assist that child and therefore it was unreasonable that provision had not been made to them. Given the established thinking, a recent decision of the Court of Appeal is surprising.

Removing and substituting executors

The executor of a will is the person specifically appointed or chosen by the testator (deceased) to administer his estate and to ensure his final wishes are respected. In effect, the executor speaks for the deceased in the settlement of his estate and carries out the instructions set out in the will. The role of an executor is an important one and it is advisable and sensible for a testator to seek the agreement of the executor before the appointment is made.

Rectification of wills

Contentious probate solicitors are often faced with disappointed beneficiaries who comment after seeing a will of a loved one that “those cannot be the wishes of the deceased”. A disappointed beneficiary may struggle to challenge a will if it has been made in accordance with the deceased's wishes. However, if a will doesn't reflect the deceased's true intentions, due to the act of a solicitor who drafted the will, it may be possible to bring a claim for rectification and/or a professional negligence claim.

Filter by article type


Ne - in certain classes of criminals reform may certainly be brought about. In certain of the cases, and in most of these a process indicaciones existed, not only was no motion demonstrable, but in all probability as the result of the disease the bones had become fused.

The teeth were exposed to a current of air of a much lower temperature than that of the body, which would tend to cause in flammation of the periosteum and pulp of a tooth; the cold dry air produced congestion of the "colombia" mucous membrane, with a secretion of stringy acid mucus; and the rapid evaporation of water which takes place when the mouth is constantly open inspissated this mucus, which so formed a fertile soil for the when sleeping with the mouth open, the tongue falls back and the parotid secretion finds its way directly through the pharynx instead of bathing and washing the teeth. Experience with these and other cases has served to convince me that this elaborate technique is unnecessary (nitrofural). Valves may be arranged when, soluble as sometimes happens, the cold air is liable to descend through these tubes. Tissue which is now called bothrenchyma or pitted tissue: queimadura. Most were accompanied by profuse perspiration and indefinite rigors, while nausea and vomiting is noted so often as to be Fixed lumbar quemaduras pain was present between the attacks in the cases presenting typical renal of the lumbar pain varied from an indefinite ache to a dull gnawing pain of marked degree.

The first of the series came under treatment horses five years ago. Functional Nervous Disturbances Cured by the CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF DISEASES OF CHILDREN, HOSPITAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PA; ATTENDING PHYSICIAN TO THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, ETC (es). PSEUDO ASCITES AS THE RESULT OF serve CHRONIC cases showing clinically the classical signs of free fluid in the peritoneal cavity, while at operation or autopsy a perfectly normal peritoneum was found with no sign of the anticipated exudate. Rogers was also prominent in religious work, and personally supported a missionary in dogs India. He made an exploratory puncture to ascertain whether the dulness present was caused by a collection of fluid; and, failing to obtain any fluid, he made a second attempt with a larger needle and succeeded in removing bits of tissue for composed of round cells. Skull undergo much develoiiment and modification, and have received special names (creme). Aloes acts well in obesily by depleting para the.system and engorging the i)elvic circulation. This is caused by the proteus vulgaris Hauser, by the bacillus "nitrofurazone" von Bleisch, by the bacillus and micrococcus liquefaciens lactis araari Freudenreich, and by bacteria described by Hueppe, FlUgge, and von Stirling.

From the time when this system was discovered and worked out, in the adult it has been known that it is an appendage of the venous system (dressing). As the iliac que glands are also absent, vessels may pass from the foot (i.e., those quite sharply defined areas of origin, and from these the vessels extend in opposite directions.

When the laity have come in many instances to recognize this disease, does it not seem a sad commentary on our profession that so many of our members fail merhem to recognize it, and having recognized it fail to treat it properly? OCCUPATIONS OF PATIENTS WITH SCABIES. En - it is analogous to the wellknown bleaching powder, chloride of Ume. Myxoma, osteoma, enchondroma, chondro-angioma, Hpochondro-angioma, mucous adenoma, and colloid adenoma, most of them being represented by only one, or, ointment at the most, two cases. Although important chemical changes occur in "crema" these substances in their passage through the columnar cells of the mtestmal wall further changes of both a qualitative and a quantitative character are required before the portal can be allowed to mix with the systemic blood, and these final chemical transformations have their seat in the liver eel s. , A name given by Swediaur to Pramboesia, ar IHY MUS (eOnos; a kind of onion; a small blister on the flesh J: la. Tules are never penetrated by sirve hairs. The otoscopic examination of the right ear revealed a cicatrix in the inferior posterior quadrant of pomada the membrane; the external canal of the left ear contained pus, and there was a round, medium-sized and liver.


The way to Learn Chinese Characters Simply and Efficiently

Chinese language is an unfamiliar territory for many whose first language use an alphabetic system such as English. Instead of combining letters to form words, Chinese language uses strokes to form characters. The commonly used Chinese characters alone contain 3000 keywords and phrases. Not only that, Chinese is also a tonal language with four different tones, commonly marked with accent marks, proper unmarked represents the neutral tone. The accent marks are only available when using PinYin to represent the pronunciation. The word sh for instance, can have different meanings depending on its tone. The first tone sh can mean poetry or wet or teacher. The second tone sh can mean ten or time or genuine. The third tone sh can mean history or to start or to cause. Lastly tone sh can mean yes or room or matter. In essence, there are many similar sounds with different meanings. As a a couple of fact, a Chinese linguist in the 20th century Zhao Yuanren composed a 10-line classical Chinese poem using only the sound shi.

Next, it isn’t always possible to guess the pronunciation of a characteristics. The character for wood, for instance, is pronounced mu. The character for forest, could be composed of two-character for wood, is pronounced lin. Although in this example the pronunciation isn’t related, the concise explaination the characters are able to. On the contrary, when the pronunciation can be related due to similar root character, the meanings are not necessarily related.

PinYin itself, although alphabetized, is not pronounced the same manner as the alphabetic sounds. There are unfamiliar sounds for example u with an umlaut () that sounds like a program of I and u. Like every item and fixture unfamiliar, it might lead to uncertainty and issue. Thus, knowing the challenges learners face is the actual step in devising effective learning strategies that directly affect their language achievement.

The Strategies Usually Learn Chinese Characters

Prof Ko-Yin Sung of Chinese Language Study from Utah Expenses hikes conducted a groundwork amongst non-heritage, non-Asian Chinese language learners and uncovered interesting results which could help future learners in forming a highly effective study plan. Her study revolves concerning the most used often Chinese character learning strategies and how to say hello in chinese those strategies affect the learners’ ability in understanding and producing the sound and the writing in the Chinese emails.

The study finds that among very best twenty most frequently used strategies, eight regarding are springing out of when a personality is first introduced to learners. These include:

1. Repeating the character several times aloud or silently.

2. Writing the character down.

3. Noting how the type is in context.

4. Noting the tone and associating it with pinyin.

5. Observing the character and stroke order.

6. Visualising the letter.

7. Listening to the explanation of the type.

8. Associating the character with previously learned identity.

The next six strategies are familiar with increase learners’ understanding belonging to the newly introduced character.

9. Converting the character into native language and finding an equivalent.

10. Looking in the textbook or dictionary.

11. Checking if the new character already been used above.

12. Finding out how they are used in conversation.

13. While using character in sentences orally.

14. Asking how the type could provide in sentences.

However, learning strategies come to diminish beyond those two learning concentrations. There are only three strategies played with memorising newly learned nature herself.

15. Saying and writing the character at once.

16. Saying and picturing the character in mind.

17. Given the sound, visualising the character shape and meaning.

And nevertheless only one strategy utilized for practising new characters.

18. Making sentences and writing them out.

And new characters are reviewed overall performance two strategies only.

19. Writing the characters many years.

20. Reading over notes, example sentences and the textbook.

Of the twenty strategies mentioned above, four are simply to be most significant in increasing learner’s skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing of the characters. The four strategies are:

Writing the characters down

Observing the stroke order

Making connection to a similar character

Saying and writing the smoothness repeatedly

A research by Stice in 1987 showed that students only retained 10% of back as they learned from what they read, 26% from the things they hear, and 30% from what they see. When studying modes are combined, newer and interesting . improvement in learning retention is noted. Learning retention jumped to 50% when seeing and hearing are combined, and even higher at 70% when students say the materials yet learning, and learning retention is at the highest at 90% when students the materials usually are learning as they do a single. Simply reading the characters aren’t enough. Learners must associate the sound with the characters, make a connection with the characters to create them memorable, and practice recalling the newly learned characters.

Study means that recalling new characters learned improves learning retention and reinforces getting to grips with. One way work with this will be by using an app for instance The Intelligent Flashcards. This specific unit flashcard app is suited for the New Practical Chinese Reader textbooks, making it convenient to review characters based on chapters. Not only does it show stroke order animation, it is also accompanied by native speaker sound files, making this app so significantly more convenient that another app with regard to Anki. With Anki, although user will add personal notes on it, the sound file is not available and must be imported through another app.

Another important learning method to incorporate is observing how a characters are used in perspective. This can be practiced by observing real-life conversations to add to the textbook and audio tracks conversation. The time interesting to make note of that university students studied the particular abovementioned research were reluctant to adopt the educational strategies recommended by the instructors, because watching Chinese TV shows or listening Chinese movies. There could be many causes this. The design and style of the shows or songs can not appeal to your learners.

To be able to this program is not only convenient. Also if the shows could possibly be accessed online, rarely draught beer subtitled in a choice of both Chinese and English which will make the shows more useful to beginner learners in acquiring the language. Also, most of this very popular Chinese Tv programs fall into the historical genre, which is often a favourite one of several Chinese, such as The Empress of China’s websites. However, the language spoken in this particular type of TV show is a bit more complex than the contemporary spoken Chinese.


Browsed by
Category: Deep Breathing

The Most Dangerous Jobs: A Chiropractic Perspective

The Most Dangerous Jobs: A Chiropractic Perspective

It’s no secret that some jobs are just more physically demanding and more dangerous than others. Some of the most challenging ones are obvious—combat roles in the military, fire and rescue, heavy construction and deep sea fishing are just a few that come to mind. However, when it comes to non-fatal musculoskeletal injuries, the statistics tell a very different story about occupational health and safety and about who’s most likely to get hurt on the job.

Because chiropractic physicians are experts in treating conditions that involve the musculoskeletal and nervous systems (including many common workplace injuries), we have a unique perspective on why they happen, how they can  be prevented and the best ways to treat them.

Musculoskeletal Disorders by the Numbers

Let’s start with a long-term trend that’s good news for the nation’s workers but that doesn’t get much media attention. The number of reportable occupational injuries and illnesses has declined steadily across the past decade from 50 cases per 1,000 full-time workers in 2003 to 33 cases in 2013. So progress is clearly being made, even if it doesn’t grab the headlines.

That said, musculoskeletal injuries continue to be among the most common on-the-job injuries, and they can require significant recuperation time. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says that musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) “are injuries or illnesses affecting the connective tissues of the body such as muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage, or spinal disks.”

A very high percentage—about one-third—of 2013 workplace injury and illness cases that required days off from work involved the musculoskeletal system.  Plus, workers who sustained musculoskeletal injuries required more time to recover before returning to work—a median of 11 days to recuperate compared with 8 days for all types of workplace injury and illness cases. In 2011:

  • The back was the primary site of MSD injuries in 42% of all cases across all occupations, requiring a median time off of 7 days to recuperate.
  • Although it accounts for only 13% of all MSDs, the shoulder was the area with the most severe injuries, requiring a median of 21 days off of work to recuperate.
  • Injuries and illnesses due to repetitive motion involving “micro-tasks” (such as typing) accounted for only 3% of all occupational injury and illness cases. However, those workers with this kind of injury required nearly 3 times as many days away from work to recover as those with all other types of injuries and illnesses—a median of 23 days.

As we mentioned earlier, though, MSDs are not distributed evenly across all industries and occupations.

  • In 2013, the highest MSD incident rates were found in transportation and warehousing (80.3 cases per 10,000 full-time workers), healthcare and social assistance (50.2 cases per 10,000 full-time workers), arts, entertainment and recreation (46.5 cases per 10,000 full-time workers) and construction (41.9 cases per 10,000 full-time workers).
  • In 2011, six occupations accounted for 26% of all MSD cases: nursing assistants, laborers, janitors and cleaners, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, registered nurses and stock clerks.
  • In 2011, those with the greatest number of median days spent off from work in order to recuperate from an MSD were heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (21 days).

So it’s clear from the numbers that the dangerous jobs featured on reality TV shows (think about Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers) aren’t necessarily the ones that result in the most MSD-related visits to the chiropractor or general practitioner.

The Role of Chiropractic Care in Prevention and Treatment

Over the past several years, companies of all sizes have become increasingly interested in occupational health and wellness programs. Chiropractic physicians have a special interest in working with employees and business managers alike to help prevent job-related injuries and to encourage a healthy, productive work environment. If you’d like to learn more, we encourage you to call or visit our office today.

Chiropractic care can be one of the most effective ways to treat musculoskeletal pain and accelerate recovery.  Dr. Oblander has the training and experience necessary to successfully diagnose and treat a wide range of workplace injuries, and he’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have! So if you or someone you care about has recently been hurt on the job, please give us a call at 406-652-3553 or stop by either of our Billings chiropractic offices. We have an office located at 3307 Grand Avenue and an office at 410 Wicks Lane in the Heights  and we’re here to help!

What Causes Muscle Tension?

What Causes Muscle Tension?

Muscle tension occurs when a muscle (or group of muscles) remains contracted for an extended period of time. This might be characterized as a low-energy or low-intensity muscle cramp. Such tension in the muscles constricts blood flow, which in turn keeps oxygen and nutrients from reaching the muscle tissues and tendons. Muscle tension also keeps cellular waste from being carried away. The result is more muscle tension, spasms and damage. Why does this happen? There are actually several possible causes.

One key source of muscle tension is stress or anxiety. For our ancient ancestors, stress was a simple fact of everyday life, and their ability to response effectively to imminent threats (predators, hostile neighbors, natural disasters, etc.) was an integral part of their survival. As a result, their bodies evolved a set of short-term physiological changes that helped them to meet sudden life-and-death challenges by increasing their alertness, strength, speed and stamina. Today, we refer to these changes collectively as the “fight-or-flight” response, and they’re part of our evolutionary inheritance.

Unfortunately, there is now a kind of mismatch between the kinds of modern threats (real or perceived) that most of us encounter in our day-to-day lives and our bodies’ primitive fight-or-flight response. Instead of short-term physical dangers, modern stress is much more likely to come from social or financial pressures that are (usually) lower-intensity but more prolonged. Mounting bills, insane work deadlines and relationship problems are all great examples. This is a problem because our fight-or-flight response was really designed to be “switched on” only for very short periods of time—essentially, just as long as it took us to either defend ourselves or escape from a physical attack. It turns out that the human body pays a high price for the fight-or-flight response, and this price is especially high when the response is activated continuously over long periods of time, even at relatively low levels. Chronic muscle tension is just one potential result.

Muscle tension can also be the result of underlying structural problems or injuries affecting the musculoskeletal system, especially in the back or neck. When the spine is misaligned or there is an injury, the body may compensate by activating other muscles or muscle groups to stabilize the area and prevent pain. These muscles are put under additional strain for which they were not designed, leading to chronic muscle tension.

Chronic muscle tension itself can lead to new kinds of discomfort and pain. The pain can lead to an increase in anxiety and more muscle tension. This becomes a vicious cycle—an unhealthy, downward spiral. Luckily, there are a number of different ways to relieve muscle tension.

One of the best ways to relax your muscles is to exercise. This may seem counterintuitive at first, but muscle use increases blood flow and, accordingly, reduces the tension caused directly from lack of such blood flow. Exercise also produces endorphins which help to relieve stress and anxiety.

Heat is another method of relief. It can help by opening up blood vessels and relaxing the tense muscles. Use care when applying a hot pack. With heat, you can do too much of a good thing. Use a cloth between the pack and the skin so the heat remains measured and soothing. If you use an electrical heating pad, do not lie on the pad, but lay the pad on the tense muscles.

Water therapy can also help reduce muscle tension. Floating in a swimming pool or on a waterbed can prove to be extremely therapeutic because of the relaxing nature of wave action on the body.

Of course, a massage therapist is an expert at helping muscles relax. A truly good therapist can adapt his or her technique to your specific situation and will be skilled at gradually building up the intensity of the massage so that you’ll receive all the therapeutic benefit without losing the relaxation benefit.

Remember—it’s important to understand the underlying cause of chronic muscle tension so that it can be addressed in an effective way. Your chiropractor is specially trained to determine if the underlying cause is structural. If it is, he or she may be able to perform adjustments to correct the problem. Depending on your specific situation, your chiropractor may also recommend a treatment plan that includes several of the therapies mentioned above in order to relieve your pain and restore your mobility as quickly as possible.

Fitness Around the World

Fitness Around the World

women doing fist pushups
women doing fist pushups

People in the US who are interested in staying in shape tend to favor running or working out at the gym to maintain fitness. But how do people in other parts of the world stay fit? And what might Americans learn from them? Following is a summary of how people in some other countries keep in shape.

The Netherlands and Scandinavia – The number one form of physical exercise in these countries is undoubtedly the bicycle. They use it to do everything from getting to and from work and school to shopping for groceries and cycling someone home from a date. There are dedicated bike lanes in every city, and many that stretch from one side of the country to the other. From small children to the elderly, everyone cycles as a matter of course, and their overall fitness shows how beneficial it is to their health.

China – You may have seen people in public parks around any major city (or any community with Chinese immigrants) performing a series slow, precise movements. Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese form of martial arts that is good for conditioning not only the body, but the mind as well. It is especially good for seniors, as it improves balance and overall mobility, increases strength in the legs and reduces stress.

India – Most people are surprised to learn that the physical practice of yoga as we know it is not actually ancient. Yoga in India was traditionally a mental and spiritual practice that incorporated special breathing techniques while in a sitting or standing posture. The type of exercise that comes to mind when we think of the word “yoga” (incorporating different postures called asanas, in combination with measured breathing) was not developed in India until the early 20th century. Nevertheless, yoga is now practiced very widely in India and all over the world as a way to promote overall mind-body fitness. It strengthens and stretches the muscles, increases flexibility and reduces stress.

Japan – Radio Taiso is a program of simple calisthenics set to music that is broadcast several times a day and is used by schools and many companies to help keep people fit. There are three official versions. One is a general fitness program for people of all ages, one is specifically designed to increase physical strength, and one is geared toward the elderly and disabled, who can perform the exercises while sitting down.

Brazil – An energetic form of dance that is taking off elsewhere in the world as well, Capoeira is a combination of dance, martial arts, acrobatics and music. It improves balance, coordination and rhythm while strengthening all the muscle groups. It will also improve your reflexes and help increase concentration.

Middle East – Belly dancing was originally developed as an exercise to aid women in childbirth. But belly dancing has many additional advantages. It particularly targets the “core” muscles, which are the ones responsible for keeping us upright and which have all too often become weakened by sitting for long hours at a desk. By strengthening your core muscles, you reduce your risk of suffering a back injury or chronic lower back pain.

Seven Deadly Health Sins

Seven Deadly Health Sins

jolly-roger-200-300Behind many of the debates about healthcare in the US—its availability and cost as well as its effectiveness—is an important phenomenon. The demands being placed on healthcare providers are growing and changing (at least in large part) because of the way we live our lives.  Day-to-day choices we all make are contributing to a wide variety chronic health conditions that are sometimes referred to as “lifestyle diseases.” And while our healthcare system is very good at treating acute medical problems, it is not very good at preventing or treating chronic ones.

In many cases, it’s fair to say that the health we get in the future is a result of the lifestyle decisions we make in the present. With this idea in mind, it’s also fair to ask whether it makes good sense to ask our healthcare system to single-handedly save us from the effects of our own unhealthy habits. This is why, as chiropractic physicians, we work closely with our patients to help them be more active in their own health by taking more responsibility for their own lifestyle choices.

So which lifestyle choices are causing the most trouble? While we could obviously point out harmful behaviors like smoking, drinking too much alcohol or using harmful drugs, the behaviors that really need more attention from most people are much more fundamental. We call these the “Seven Deadly Health Sins” that compromise longevity and quality of life.

Sitting Too Much. According to the Mayo Clinic, those who have a sedentary lifestyle are in danger of things like “obesity and metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels.” A recent study showed that those who spend a large amount of time in front of a television or other forms of screen entertainment had a roughly 50% greater risk of death from any source.

Eating Too Much Fat, Sugar and Salt. The typical American diet not only contains too many calories, it’s also too high in fat, salt and sugar. In excess, these ingredients (all too common in processed foods) trigger a wide range of complex, self-inflicted health problems.

Sleeping Too Little. According to a recent poll by the National Sleep Foundation, a combination of daily stress and lifestyle choices (including nighttime activities as well as eating and exercise habits) is causing more than a third of the U.S. population to get fewer hours of sleep than they need.

Drinking Too Little Water. Most of us would be much better off if we drank lots more water and fewer sugary drinks. While there’s no real evidence that Americans are chronically dehydrated (despite all the hard work of bottled water companies), there is plenty of evidence that the things we are drinking aren’t particularly good for us from a nutritional point of view.

Mismanaging Stress. Our relationship with stress is a complicated one. The simple truth is that stress itself isn’t inherently positive or negative for our health. The thing we actually have to pay attention to is how we respond to it. While the physiological stress response we’ve inherited through evolution is designed to help us confront immediate physical dangers, most of today’s threats aren’t immediate or physical. The result of this mismatch is that our “fight or flight” response may stay switched on for much longer periods than nature intended. This in turn can cause a variety of health problems. Since stress is an inevitable part of modern life, it’s important for us to embrace the positive view of stress that helps us grow and develop while also learning how to turn off the harmful effects.

Ignoring Posture Problems. The way we carry ourselves while sitting or standing can have lasting implications for our musculoskeletal health. The bad news is that poor posture can reduce our strength, flexibility, and balance and—at the extreme—can cause pain and even compromise organ function. The good news is that posture problems can be corrected once they’ve been recognized. Even better, it’s possible to prevent them by developing good habits in the first place.

Putting Off Preventive Healthcare. The best time to pay attention to your health is while you still have it. Unfortunately, many Americans still cling to the reactive “sickness care” model and don’t take full advantage of the expanded preventive care options that have been made available to them as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The US Department of Health and Human Services estimates the ACA made 76 million Americans “newly eligible” for free preventive care. But a Kaiser Health Tracking Poll in March 2014 revealed that only 43% of the population was aware of the change, meaning that many people are probably foregoing preventive care out of cost concerns. Remember—it’s always better to recognize and treat a health problem early before it grows worse and becomes more difficult to address!

By avoiding these Seven Deadly Health Sins, you can also avoid many chronic health conditions. If you or someone you care about has health questions or concerns, we encourage you to call or visit our office today. We’re here to help!

Health Benefits of Breathing Deeply

Health Benefits of Breathing Deeply

woman-deep-breathing-200-300“Take a deep breath.” It’s something we say to each other—and even to ourselves—when the going gets rough and we need to get our emotions under control. But it turns out that this bit of advice isn’t only useful in helping us recover our composure. When practiced on a regular basis, deep breathing can have real physical and mental health benefits.

Many health researchers and clinicians recommend controlling your breath as an easy way to improve your health. The benefits of slow, deep breathing include decreasing inflammation, reducing anxiety, improving heart health, reducing pain, and boosting your immune system. In addition, people with migraines and irritable bowel syndrome may also experience benefits from deep, consistent breathing.

How does it work?

Deep and slow breathing stimulates the vagus nerve. This nerve connects the brain stem with the abdomen, and it is part of the parasympathetic nervous system. This system is responsible for so-called “rest and digest” activities. For example, it causes the heart rate to decline when we exhale. The sympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, controls our “fight or flight” responses.

The vagus nerve is activated when we slow our breathing to around 5 to 7 breaths per minute (our usual pace is around 12 to 18 per minute). In addition to slowing our heart rate, the vagus nerve controls the release of various neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine. Acetylcholine slows both our heart rate and digestion and has anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, for people with severe conditions such as epilepsy, there are devices available that can stimulate the vagus nerve.

How can we learn to breathe more deeply?

Deep breathing is often taught in meditation and yoga classes. Experts say it is important to breathe in through the nose and exhale through the mouth, ensuring that the exhale is longer than the inhale. Breathing should focus on the abdomen, particularly on the inhale, rather than the chest and shoulders.

To help people become more aware of their own breathing patterns, a San Francisco startup company has developed a wearable device called Spire, which helps users track their breathing and know when to slow down and take a deep breath. The basic idea is that you don’t have to stop what you are doing in order to shift into a calmer, more healthful breathing state. This device may be particularly useful for some computer users, whose breathing seems to change significantly while they’re doing their work. At one end of the spectrum, some individuals tend to hold their breath—a condition known as “screen apnea”. At the other end of the spectrum are the rapid breathers. A small study by Neema Moraveji, co-founder of Spire and director of the Calming Technology Lab at Stanford University, showed that people working on a computer took an average of 16.7 breaths per minute, versus 9.3 breaths a minute when relaxed.

However we choose to approach our own breathing, whether through meditation, yoga, or wearable devices, there’s growing evidence that becoming more mindful—and taking greater control—has real health benefits. So take a deep breath and get started!


comments and feedback

Xie Chuntao: The CPC: Why and How It Works in China?

Submit Time：18-10-2019 | Zoom In | Zoom Out

Author：Xie Chuntao | Source：English Edition of QiuShi Journal April-June 2019|Vol.11,No.2,Issue No.39

The Communist Party of China was founded 98 years ago, and has now governed the country for 70 years. Over this period, the Chinese nation has made the impressive leap from standing up and becoming prosperous to growing strong, thus bringing forth the “China miracle” that has astonished the world. It is not by chance that the CPC has been able to lead the people toward such tremendous success; the Party is equipped with qualities that made certain it was up to the task.

1. It has lofty ideals and aspirations.

Every political party has aspirations, but the aspirations of each party can be very different from each other. While many political parties scramble for power and profit in service to their respective groups, the CPC represents the interests of the broadest possible majority of the Chinese people.

In the century before the founding of the CPC in 1921, China was a backward and beleaguered country stuck in a state of poverty and weakness. Many people of high ideals searched tirelessly for a way out of this predicament, but none succeeded. From its founding, the CPC assumed the historic mission of saving the Chinese nation from its miserable state and bringing about its grand rejuvenation. In the 28 years that followed, the CPC led the Chinese people through bitter and bloody struggle, overturning the reactionary rule of imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat-capitalism and establishing the People’s Republic of China. This allowed the Chinese people to finally stand up. Socialism was later established as China’s basic system, which represented the greatest and most profound social transformation in Chinese history.

Since reform and opening up which began in the late 1970s, the Chinese people have captured great achievements in national development under the leadership of the CPC. At present, China is firmly positioned as the world’s second largest economy, the Chinese people have become better-off and reached a moderately prosperous standard of living overall, and considerable advances have been made in building democracy and the rule of law. China has completed, in the space of mere decades, the process of industrialization that took developed countries several centuries, bringing about a miracle in the history of world development.

There is nothing more convincing than historical fact. Over the past century, the CPC has made enormous contributions to the country, the nation, and the people while always remaining committed to its lofty ideals and aspirations. It is clear why the Chinese people have chosen to follow the CPC. No matter how much the environment changes or how grave the challenges that lay ahead, the CPC will remain true to its original aspirations and devoted to its mission.

2. It has the guidance of well-founded theories.

The development of concepts and theories is crucial for a political party. Within the party, concepts and theories are used to guide members, telling them how to take action and what the reasons are for doing so. In relation to the public, they are used to inspire the people to follow the party and pool together boundless strength in the process. The CPC attaches great importance to theoretical innovation, and is committed to using innovative theories to sharpen the minds of Party officials and unite the people.

From the day of its founding, the CPC made Marxism its guiding ideology. With Mao Zedong as their chief representative, Chinese Communists combined the fundamental principles of Marxism-Leninism with the actual practice of the Chinese revolution and created Mao Zedong Thought, under which the New Democratic Revolution was completed, the PRC was founded, socialism was established as the country’s basic system, and much progress was achieved in socialist economic, political, and cultural development. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee in 1978, Chinese Communists, with Deng Xiaoping as their chief representative, developed Deng Xiaoping Theory. This offered effective answers to a series of fundamental questions on building Chinese socialism, and thus successfully opened up the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. After the Fourth Plenary Session of the 13th CPC Central Committee in 1989, Chinese Communists, with Jiang Zemin as their chief representative, developed the Theory of Three Represents, which successfully launched China’s socialism into the 21st century. After its 16th National Congress in 2002, Chinese Communists, with Hu Jintao as their chief representative, developed the Scientific Outlook on Development, thus successfully upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics from a new and historic point of departure. Since its 18th National Congress in 2012, Chinese Communists, with Xi Jinping as their chief representative, have integrated theory with practice to systematically address the major questions of our times, which are what kind of Chinese socialism should be upheld and developed in the new era and how we should go about doing this, thereby giving shape to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and ushering in a new phase for Chinese socialism.

By contrast, one of the main reasons why communist parties in the former Eastern Bloc collapsed one after the other is that they suffered from protracted ideological stagnation. Their theories were unable to evolve in step with the times, and therefore could not guide new initiatives or even explain contemporary realities.

3. It has mechanisms for selecting and appointing officials on the basis of merit and ability.

The standards and procedures used by a political party to select officials are extremely important, because these directly determine whether or not the party in question can maintain its advanced nature and purity and remain a vital and cohesive organization. The CPC has always attached great importance to making organizational improvements, particularly with regard to strengthening the ranks of Party officials, and has selected and trained cohort after cohort of highly competent leading officials.

Since the day of its founding, the CPC has consistently emphasized its pioneering nature, and imposed strict requirements on admitting new Party members. In recent years, the Party has remained committed to using the recruitment process to limit the number, improve the structure, raise the quality, and exert the roles of Party members. On this basis, the education and assessment of applicants seeking Party membership has become even more rigorous in order to guarantee that members measure up to mandatory standards of quality.

As early as the revolutionary period, the CPC set out the requirements for building the ranks of Party officials, including that it shall select officials on the basis of their merits and not their origins, that it shall choose candidates based on their moral integrity and professional competence, and that it shall resolutely oppose localism and nepotism. These requirements have guaranteed that the Party has flourished and remained united. Since reform and opening up and especially since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party has constantly explored ways to foster, select, and utilize officials more effectively, and relevant systems have steadily improved. General Secretary Xi Jinping stated that good officials must “hold firm convictions, be committed to serving the people, work diligently and pragmatically, have the courage to take on responsibility, and be honest and upright,” and put particular emphasis on the requirement for officials to be loyal, ethical, and responsible. The CPC has established a series of well-founded principles and a full set of systems and mechanisms for the cultivation, selection, utilization, and management of officials. These concepts, principles, and systems, such as selecting officials on the basis of merit and not origin, requiring that they are professionally competent while putting moral integrity above all else, assigning them to positions that suit them and giving them tasks that they are equipped to handle, emphasizing the development of their abilities by incrementally moving them to higher positions according to their performance and giving them the experiences of working in multiple positions, and bringing them to Party schools for training, are playing an increasingly large role in the development of the official ranks, and are receiving growing recognition from other political parties.

4. It has strict discipline and rules.

As political organizations, political parties generally have their own constitutions, rules, and disciplinary codes. However, parties with rules and disciplinary codes as strict as those of the CPC are rare. The CPC has always taken this subject very seriously; it has not only established a complete disciplinary code and set of rules, but also ensured that they have been rigorously enforced.

From very early on, the CPC put great stress on strengthening discipline within the Party. In 1927, the Fifth National Congress of the CPC made the decision to establish the Central Supervision Commission, which was responsible for supervising discipline within the Party. During the Agrarian Revolutionary War, the CPC introduced the practice of organizing the Party branch on a company basis in order to strengthen the leadership of the Party over the military, and also formulated the Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points for Attention. Starting from the Yan’an period (1935-1948), the Party’s disciplinary code was gradually enriched and refined as the CPC Central Committee drafted and implemented a whole set of rules and disciplinary standards.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping has responded to the loose, lax, and weak enforcement of Party discipline which prevailed for a time by stressing the importance of closely integrating the ideological development and institutional governance of the CPC, and emphasizing that more rigorous discipline is key for strict and comprehensive governance of the Party. The Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core views the strict enforcement of the Party’s political discipline and rules as being especially important in the effort to clean up the political environment of the CPC.

Since the 18th National Congress, the Central Committee has drafted and revised a long list of important intraparty regulations. These regulations contain strict discipline and rules, and thus offer institutional safeguards for ensuring that the CPC remains the strong leading core of the Chinese socialist cause.

5. It has the courage to reform itself.

The CPC is not only equipped with the prowess to lead social revolution, but also the courage to reform itself. This has allowed it to form the abilities and mechanisms necessary to purify, improve, and reform itself, ensuring that it can, by its own initiative, rectify any problems that arise within itself.

During the New Democratic Revolution, Chinese Communists with Mao Zedong as their chief representative were successful in correcting various erroneous tendencies within the Party. For example, through the Yan’an Rectification Movement, they completely eliminated dogmatism and instilled the guiding principle of seeking truth from facts in the hearts of all Party members, which helped the Party grow more mature. It was also during this period that the fine practices of criticism and self-criticism took shape, practices which led the entire CPC and the Chinese people to successfully create socialism with Chinese characteristics. Chinese Communists never take a soft stance when it comes to corruption within the Party, and this is an important reflection of the CPC’s courage to reform itself. The CPC severely punished officials who were discovered to be corrupt during both the Agrarian Revolutionary War and the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. The executions of Liu Qingshan and Zhang Zishan in the early days of the PRC are even more well-known examples of this. All of this goes to show that the CPC has zero tolerance for corruption.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core has built a deep understanding of problems that exist within the Party. Emphasizing that “it takes a good blacksmith to make good tools,” the Party has resolutely clamped down on misconduct and fought corruption with the determination to both “cage the tigers” and “swat the flies.” The experience that CPC has gained since the 18th National Congress in comprehensively governing itself with strict discipline proves that it has already pioneered a new path for successful self-governance. Just as the CPC is capable of triumphing over its rivals, it also has the ability to resolve problems that exist within itself.

6. It has strong leadership abilities.

The leadership of the CPC is the most essential attribute and greatest strength of the Chinese socialist system, and the Party is the highest force of political leadership. The CPC has demonstrated its strong leadership abilities throughout the historical process of leading the people toward the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

China practices a system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC. The CPC is the governing party while other parties participate in the political process under Chinese socialism, and they consult with each other in the interest of national development and public wellbeing. The CPC is committed to acting as the overall leader and coordinator, and encourages people’s congresses, government institutions, political consultation committees, supervisory organs, judicial organs, procuratorial organs, people’s organizations, enterprises, government-affiliated institutions, and social organizations to coordinate their actions and form greater synergy under its leadership. This leadership system boasts distinct advantages in that it can ensure the centralized and unified leadership of the Party, maintain a stable political environment and consistent policies, and muster immense force for carrying out decisions once they have been made.

Moreover, the CPC has exhibited its strong leadership abilities across a variety of fields. Since reform and opening up, under the leadership of the CPC, we have effectively coped with changing situations, faced down floods, overcome earthquakes, and defused crises. This is a full testament to the strength of the socialist system and the strong leadership abilities of the CPC.

(Originally appeared in People’s Daily, May 8, 2019)

Xie Chuntao is Vice President of the School of the CPC Central Committee (Chinese Academy of Governance).

Related Articles


Download Citation on ResearchGate | Etude du couplage spin-orbite dans les metaux de transition. Application au platine | The effect of spin-orbit coupling on. Download Table | 1 -Intégrales de Slater et paramètres de couplage spin-orbite ( eV) pour Co 2+ pour les quatre configurations considérées. from publication. Spin-orbit coupling in Wien2k. Robert Laskowski [email protected] Institute of High Performance Computing. Singapore.

Author: Akinonris Taran
Country: Honduras
Language: English (Spanish)
Genre: Photos
Published (Last): 1 July 2018
Pages: 307
PDF File Size: 7.63 Mb
ePub File Size: 2.97 Mb
ISBN: 287-2-28973-261-2
Downloads: 66862
Price: Free* [*Free Regsitration Required]
Uploader: Bagami

It allows evaluate the total, spin and orbital moments. The fine electronic structure can be directly detected by many different spectroscopic methods, including the inelastic neutron scattering INS experiments.

CEF interactions and magnetic interactions resemble, somehow, Stark and Zeeman effect known from atomic physics.

This gives results that agree reasonably well with observations. An example of how the atomic spin—orbit interaction influences the band structure of a crystal is explained in the article about Rashba and Dresselhaus interactions. For the robite relativistic result, see the solutions to the Dirac equation for a hydrogen-like atom.

It is important to note at this point that B is a positive number multiplied by Lmeaning that the magnetic field is parallel to the orbital angular momentum of the particle, which is itself perpendicular to the particle’s velocity.

Within the four bands light and heavy holesthe dominant term is. For atoms, energy level split produced by the spin-orbit interaction is usually of the same order in size to the relativistic corrections to the kinetic energy and the zitterbewegung effect. This phenomenon is detectable as a splitting of spectral lineswhich can be thought of as a Zeeman effect product of two relativistic effects: The spin—orbit potential consists of two parts. For rare-earth ions the spin—orbit interactions are much stronger than the CEF interactions.

To find out what basis this is, we first define the total angular momentum operator. The addition of these three corrections is known as the fine structure.

Similar to the electron spin resonance ESR in which electrons can be excited with an electromagnetic wave with the energy given by the Zeeman effectin EDSR the resonance can be achieved if the frequency is related to the energy band split given by the spin-orbit coupling in solids.

In Llewellyn Thomas relativistically recomputed the doublet separation in the fine structure of the atom. The SL and J of the ground multiplet are determined by Hund’s rules. The interaction between the magnetic field created by the electron and the magnetic moment of the nucleus is a slighter correction to the energy levels known as the hyperfine structure. The case of strong cubic CEF [8] [9] for 3 d transition-metal ions interactions form group of levels e.

Note that L z and S z are no longer conserved quantities. Part of a series on. The effective crystal field potential. Views Read Edit View history. Sheka, Electric-Dipole Spin-Resonances, in: Retrieved from ” https: A similar effect, due to the relationship between angular momentum and the strong nuclear forceoccurs for protons and neutrons moving inside the nucleus, leading to a shift in their energy levels in the nucleus shell model.

Substituting this in and changing the order of the cross product gives. Taking into consideration the thermal population of states, the thermal evolution of the single-ion properties of the compound is established.

Spin–orbit interaction – Wikipedia

The appropriate two-band effective Hamiltonian is. Two-dimensional electron gas in an asymmetric quantum well or heterostructure will feel the Rashba interaction. The magnetic moment of the electron is. While oribte ESR the coupling is obtained via the magnetic part of the EM wave with the electron magnetic moment, the ESDR is the coupling of the electric part with the spin and motion of the electrons.

Here we make the central field approximationthat is, that the electrostatic potential is spherically symmetric, so is only a function of radius. Elements of this basis have the five quantum numbers: This technique is based on the equivalent operator theory [10] defined as the Couplaeg widened by thermodynamic and analytical calculations defined as the supplement of the CEF theory by including thermodynamic and analytical calculations.

There was a problem providing the content you requested

The Theory of Transition Metal Ions. This section presents a relatively simple and quantitative description of the spin—orbit interaction for an electron bound to a hydrogen-like couplageeup to first order in perturbation theoryusing some semiclassical electrodynamics and non-relativistic quantum mechanics.

Now we can say that. Operator methods in ligand field theory. In quantum physicsthe spin—orbit interaction also called spin—orbit effect or spin—orbit coupling is a relativistic interaction of a particle’s spin with its motion inside a potential. This mechanism has been proposed for controlling the spin of electrons in quantum dots and other mesoscopic systems.

Author: admin


Chromosome structural aberrations giving rise to fusion o

Two of our patients were successfully treated with indomethacin for premature labor. Our study demonstrates that the prostate gland and seminal vesicles are present in patients with bladder exstrophy. In 2 cases the patients had no symptoms for over a year after the insertion of the loop. We have examined surface Ig expression on umbilical cord blood B lymphocytes by flow cytometry under conditions in which serum derived Ig are rigorously excluded. A warm environment reduced both the decrement in core temperature and the degree of ulceration. In order to investigate the potential relationship, a meta-analysis was conducted.

Notwithstanding the impact of the condition of the assets on serviceability, sewer performance is usually assessed assuming the absence of in-sewer defects. We attempted to control lac Z gene expression in a rabbit corneal stromal cell (RCS) culture system with recombinant adenovirus (Ad) and the Cre/loxP system. Recent data have renewed interest in the possible nuclear localization of receptor tyrosine kinases, as well as their ligands. Induced hypothermia viagra without prescription delayed the coagulation cascade and reduced platelet function. The marginal effect of the 5-HTTLPR (A/G) genotype obtained on linear regression with disease severity is suggestive of a potential role for this locus in the disease process.

We illustrate the estimation of an optimal cutoff level for intensity-based filtration, providing the highest ratio of true to false signals. Long-term survival and health-related quality of life were checked. The surgical treatment should be based on thorough wound examination and debridement as well as fracture stabilization when required. In 1994-1995 artificial nests with attached model eggs were put into territories that were known to have been occupied by male great reed warblers, Acrocephalus arundinaceusin previous years. We present a short biography as well as a brief discussion of their major papers. An unconventional TGF beta superfamily pathway plays a crucial role in the decision between dauer diapause and reproductive growth.

Diagnosis and therapy of female sex disorders in the medical practice Good reproducibility, precision, and accuracy were demonstrated when the method was applied to a film-coated pellet formulation containing an interfering drug (promethazine hydrochloride). Here we review our current understanding of Drosophila SOCS proteins, their roles in vivo, and future approaches to elucidating their functions. Falciparum malaria was most prevalent, almost equal to cases of viagra without prescription vivax and malariae malaria together.

The usefulness of the assay of beta subunit is now clear in the diagnostic and follow up of choriocarcinoma and perhaps in the screening of high risk pregnancies. Moreover, we assayed the intracellular levofloxacin and norfloxacin accumulation level in these isolates. Thus, light-regulated nucleocytoplasmic partitioning of phyA and phyB is a major step in phytochrome signaling. A review of the literature behind CPP threshold recommendations was performed. To achieve these two goals, we first introduce a set of temporal fiber bundles to explore the spatial-temporal behavior of anatomical changes in each longitudinal image sequence.

Results suggest the need for HIV-specific norms, and the use of neuropsychological assessments (i.e. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is helpful for treating vaginal symptoms. Ovarian cancer treatment presently does not reflect molecular differences in histologic subtype. Each alcohol retailer was visited twice by 17-19 year-old male and female viagra without prescription adolescents who tried to buy alcohol. The intervention was a three-stage educational and counseling program designed to become progressively more intensive at each stage. This system may afford not only a model but also an explanation for that disease.

Family studies showed an unexpected increase in plasma ALP and similar isoenzyme changes in first degree relatives. The radiation has maximum effect on the 1st stage larvae followed by 2nd stage. A total of 184 published articles were identified, covering 29 different outcome measures. The application of transcriptomic data in the authentication of beef derived from contrasting production systems. Microarray analysis confirmed CAR expression in ESFT cell lines and tumors. lycopersici produces an array of pectinolytic enzymes that may contribute to penetration and colonization of the host plant.

The activity of bone resorption stimulated viagra without prescription by 1 alpha, 25(OH)2 vitamin D3 was inhibited by the addition of catalase, an eliminating agent of H2O2. Additionally, subjects completed the GRC scale, which was used to dichotomize patients into improved or stable groups. After 2 weeks, exercise in a running wheel was started in all rats, with a running-load of 2 hours/day for 5 days/week. OIH was coinjected into the renal artery with each of the 99mTc-tracers.

In particular, depletions of hepatic GSH, NADH, NADPH and ATP coupled with significant increases in oxidized glutathione were observed in the DBA mouse. As the California epidemic of WB among IDUs continues, WB episodes are recurring. The improvements in drug misuse were generally maintained over the 18-month follow-up, and worsening alcohol misuse over time may be the greater issue. Effect of the order of generic cialis tadalafil TBI and cyclophosphamide administration on the outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Genomic and proteomic methods offer the possibility of revealing new potential markers, especially for diseases whose biology is complex or not well understood. This case-control study was performed to investigate a possible relationship between H. These requirements indicate why this method does not readily lend itself to the management of these lesions in infants. Si nanocrystals are formed by using KrF pulsed laser crystallization of an amorphous SiC/ultrathin amorphous Si/amorphous SiC sandwiched structure.

The papers generated by the search, and their references, were reviewed. The association between tobacco smoking and lung cancer has been noted for more than 50 years and continues to dominate the etiologic milieu of this malignant disease. Future collaborative work in melanoma/skin cancer prevention, education, and early detection holds promise as a way to decrease mortality and save lives. The mean cord blood gas values did not predict the presence or generic cialis tadalafil severity of hyaline membrane disease or intraventricular hemorrhage, but Apgar scores did. It examines its sources, metabolism, and biological effects in various population studies, in vitro, animal, and human intervention studies.

Bilateral renal angiomyolipoma in association with tuberous sclerosis. American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) Supplement. A defective hepatic generic cialis tadalafil fatty acid oxidation is likely to explain the frequent hypoglycemia observed in small-for-date neonates. THE POLICY OF COOPERATION WITH COUNTRIES UNDERGOING DEVELOPMENT IN PUBLIC HEALTH MATTERS

To assess the long term impact of initial management by endometrial ablation for women with dysfunctional uterine bleeding who would otherwise have had a hysterectomy. Triple-site CRT is associated with more pronounced functional improvement than standard resynchronization. The Pasteurella multocida toxin (PMT) is highly mitogenic and has potential carcinogenic properties. Stereotactic versus endoscopic surgery in periventricular lesions.